DELIVERING PEABODY AWARD–WINNING WORK

WNYC was honored with two George Foster Peabody Awards for broadcast excellence at the 74th annual awards ceremony held on May 31, 2015. Presented by the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Peabody is among the most prestigious awards for broadcasting and cable excellence.

WNYC News/New Jersey Public Radio was recognized for a series of reports, “Chris Christie, White House Ambitions and the Abuse of Power,” that looked at the exercise of power by New Jersey’s governor. It examined the George Washington Bridge/Port Authority scandals, use of federal Sandy aid in the state and more. The Peabody judges said: “In a series of pithy news reports about the ‘Bridgegate’ scandal, WNYC helped to link a disruptive bridge closure to a broader pattern of questionable political operations by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s office. Its coverage sparked national news coverage, high-profile resignations in the Christie administration, and criminal investigations into the Port Authority.”

Radiolab won its second Peabody for an episode titled “60 Words.” The episode examines the 60 words in the single sentence that authorized the use of force leading to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Peabody judges described the episode as follows: “A Radiolab collaboration with BuzzFeed reporter Gregory Johnsen, it takes a hard, disturbing look at the broad, malleable wording of the Authorization of Use of Military Force Act, approved by near-unanimous Congressional vote shortly after the 9/11 attacks, and how its interpretation has expanded military power and secrecy.”

Over the past 11 years, WNYC has brought home nine Peabody Awards for its work. Click here for more on our history of Peabody Award winners.

2015 New York Festival International Radio Program Award: Silver Award, Information/Documentary, Culture & the ArtsStudio 360, “Inside the National Recording Registry,” David Krasnow, in collaboration with Ben Manilla Productions